REV. FATHER HENNEBERY'S MISSION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume V, Issue 264, 24 May 1878, Page 13

REV. FATHER HENNEBERY'S MISSION.

< -r. i. c , Reefxon, May Bth, 1878. K^if™ J md %\ 15 , 78 VP 1 b .e -memorable day in the annals of Beefton, for on that day the distinguished Father Hannebery the eminent missionary, and apostle of temperance, opened his mission amongst us, and laid the foundation of many happy homes, and brought many souls to repentance. Hundreds flocked to hear him who were remarked for their carelessness in attending any place of worship and the capacity of our present small church would not have £w '^ p° me6t , the re( l uisition *°r space, but for the prudence and SS? J°f ° Ur f Steemed and worth y P astor ' WQO had an addition of twenty feet constructed temporarily, of iron, wood, and calico, which tn^fil a< ? mi^ bl /K Or the piu 'P° se ' In the erecfcion of wWch he was willingly aided by some members of the congregation nf td a ni ime ""S? the Chnrch in New Zealand is beginning to taste of the intense bitterness already manifested towards her in other parts of the world and all the diabolical agents of her concealed and open enemies, are stiiving to take the education of youth out of her hands, we have reason to be thankful to the Almighty God, for sending such a zealous missionary amongst us, to stem the foul torrent of impious teachmg, and to counteract the withering effects of the vice in^r mCci J' Qi £ c rcffio in ter) ' ls imtri ™n plena, labori*." And still we are, for the most part, hewers of wood and drawers of watei, Englishmen and Scotchmen stepping in to reap the benefit of

SS Sr n ' f1 f tlmg ?°™l t0 te 10 ! 301^ 1 Prosperity in places, which W P mn P ir d i "p^^ednpby our energy and indomitable pluck. ™S y TlT h Ol "' selves the C(luse of this - The answer is, our nomadic habits,, which we acquired when driven out of the land of SSk?™ L ° U1 " natui "f l Senevodtj, and soft-heartedness, which SSlv , i GaSy pi ' Cy . t0 tbe P ernics o«s drinking customs of society, in,ffi 0 ? dmng US mca P able o* economizing our means so as to inthe countr nCI ' eaS ° °" r acciuired ca P ital > and become a settled power t^^^! l^ 116 - 1 ' I ! s^ OI F temporal happiness which results from inSSFortaUouls mg m com l :)arisiou to the eternal destruction of our m , .^tff r Hennebei T bas given a mission he has done 3 J?£ m r ? 1Z « th f se . evils - Mft y God in llis m ercy give him grace tvL S? tO f hg^ the gOOd figllt a S ainsfc all opposition no matter irom what qimrter it proceeds ; until he succeeds in rooting out the Sil £tV\ ? art ?r? r the lee exercise of those cental and physical SS, Z Sw^tui^ has so lavishly bestowed upon us, and we would soon bo able to defy the machinations of the enemies of our race in cms or any other country. I have made a calculation upon the result of Father Hennebery's S™ £ a temporal sense upon the Irish Catholic people in New fn vl ?f? c ? m £ nths ' wbi ch is pronounced by competent judges £>w V^ V J Wle l f hai l. ove ? the raark afc least for West Coast. wT fiS ha 7 1 e *°c pledge in Hokitika, Kumara, areymouth, and lleefton. Allowing £20 as the average sum that each man spend in drink during the year, there will be a saving of £44,200. Say von^n-inT 5 5 mimber t0 be the a^regate for New Zealand, and you will have the enormous sum of £530.400 ! ! ! as the savings for one £KS TT n w S " How man y f amilies wouW n ot this sum make com - 25t » a T? W many church es and schools would it not build and endow? And how many souls would it not save from hell ? Readers £ ™ LBT » mark > le arn, and inwardly digest this. Mocc ,ll f° v *? c °P cni »g of the Mission. Immediately after Mas,s, the church and the extension being crowded, the Reverend Missioncr ascended the altar, and in his happy, easy manner, combataMiiJsioiimoattt l and the extraordinary graces attached to it. The day was an auspicious one on which it ™C ' a a I of universal joy throughout Christendom, and Of irt CUlJ i r 3°7 forthe people of Reefton. The latter saying was fiilfilled to the letter, for many poor souls who did not £? 2* ten, twenty, or thirty years what were the consolations to be ?Sl «5 m h .Y reception of the Holy Sacraments of Penance n?+w t T$ E » c . hanst > before the Mission ended had knelt down «££ X " -A Mlnis ,te lv of Chidst in the sacred tribunal of Penance, and there with bowed head and contrite heart unloaded their con' v£t nf lfc s burden of iniquities and poured forth the accumulated I' o£ J7 fro ™ tbe «*»1» and went away rejoicing, because the grace of the Mission had opened their heart and roused their conscience

an J2?ln +i aS a se . rmon e my morniQ g a* nine o'clock Mass, and wSnf fl the evening after the Rosary, followed by Benediction. On RolKnrl Z'a\ G EeV - • Pa ? or Ecuyer > of Greymouth,' and Father w£mTrt» f^^l^l 1111 ™ 1 and remained until Thursday, the 2nd, eoZfnZ ? Wlth F^ QV - Heiuleb eiy for Greymouthf the latter going to Ross to open a Mission on the sth. It would be difficult to enumerate or enlarge on all the subjects which engaged the attention of the reverend and eloquent gentleman during the Mission or to follow him in any one of his sermons, for he seems to be inexhaustible, sometimes speaking for two or throe ?h7L C Sr?r- y '- Th e Holy Sacrifice of the mlss, the Scapulars! s™^ S e "' institution, use, and meaning ; mixed marriages education Catholic literature and the Tablet^ temperance, evlry' &£ \ m • l- hIS a " cnt i vc hirers, who hung on every word that ?£ f , O^^l^redtookthe^ledge, and the Missionnnallyclosed by oneof those impressive sights which can only oe seen in the Catholic Church, and once seen can never be forgotten, ™fSU ho * on ? w . al of $* baptismal vows. Each person stands up ?1 ? , ft? ca » dle , eleuted abOTC lds head to his left hand, repeats aloud after the Missionary, who stands at the altar the SlTt nS f - b 7 SpOQSOrS afc ba P tism ' The candles be* ng then esUngmshed and given as an offering for the altar, he poured forth SSm- • neSStO 11 G + ? dforallthe S««es He so abundantly poured tW o- M Sl ° n> T^* pe °V le Who so faithfully with Jf™' andall those who assisted him, many way. He thanked our ovm dear and reverend pastor, Father Carew, who so urgently ES™i m A° C °T' - the t0 S cllev ' Mr ' Cl ' ofts > who took chail ge oftiS books and other religious objects; and the choir, who so efficiently contributed to the effect of the services. During the delivery of X «L 5 ?lallliel'? lallliel ' and i an ? vaseu ase were so fervent and earnest, that SV cli r 2° A could b * s een in the sacred building. After which he gave the Apostolic Benediction, and finally the Benediction closed t'tKiSon. Ul ' * the Blessed which A procession was to have taken place next day: but, owin^ to the wet weather it bad to be put off until Thursday which marred the effect m point of numbers, a great many having returned to their h^nT^r^ir mnott^ 1^ at ai " but " O'rSS^M o^ mm ° rfOrd ' followed the y°™B women^M?. 1\ O Oallaghan Marshall ; next came the members of the HACBS +?? X the four priests, succeeded by the married gentlemen, and then , the married ladies. After matching through all the thoiwh fares, the procession retraced its steps to the church and halted outside, where a few words of final encouragement were given by Father Heauebery Three hearty cheers being accorded to him, all the K P H±° k ba^ S and bac l° h r adie «. wishing him all the blessing that Heaven could pour on his head. Thus ended the first Mission at lived f?om n J S y " ViH rCVeal the benefits that wiU be de- * Ji J. C.